Yet Another Obamacare “Surprise” *Open Thread*

As a follow up to the “Up, Up, And Away” post I had discussing the costs of prescription drugs, there is another bombshell breaking on Obamacare. On Monday night, Megyn Kelly had Dr. Scott Gottlieb on discussing this very thing – the cost of prescription drugs under Obamacare. I hope you are sitting down for this:

Uh, yeah. There is so much wrong with this it is hard to truly grasp it all (and Helenk had a link to an article from The Blaze discussing this very issue). No doubt more will be coming out about this, but the news right now is absolutely mouth-dropping and shocking. (Byron York discussed this issue on Tuesday’s “America’s Newsroom.” Once video is available for that, I will insert it here. York clarified just how bad this is going to be.)

It is precisely because of all of the difficulties associated with Obamacare, the rising costs, the loss of plans people wanted to keep, the mandate of what people must have (like maternity leave even if they will never use it), and now this revelation of prescription drug costs, that South Carolina is making a move (h/t Helenk). Yes, the legislators of South Carolina have a bill in the works that would end Obamacare here. Chances are very good it will pass, too. From the Daily Caller:

A bill set for fast-track passage in the South Carolina Senate in January aims to eliminate Obamacare in the state. The law could become a model for other states fed up with the federal health-care law.

House Bill 3101, titled the “South Carolina Freedom of Health Care Protection Act,” passed the state House of Representatives last April by a 65-34 vote. The bill now heads to the GOP-controlled Senate with special-order priority, setting up the likelihood that South Carolina will become the first state to exempt citizens and businesses from all participation in the Affordable Care Act.

State Sen. Tom Davis, the bill’s sponsor who recently wrapped up study committee hearings for H3101 in Columbia, Charleston and other cities, says that the proposed legislation renders the Affordable Care Act void or inoperable through a handful of provisions.

“It will essentially have five components to it, all of which in my judgment are legal, effective, and within the state’s power to do,” Davis, a Republican from Beaufort, said in an interview.

The bill’s main component prohibits agencies, officers and employees of the state of South Carolina from implementing any provisions of the Affordable Care Act, leaving implementation of the national health-care law entirely in the hands of a federal government that lacks the resources or personnel to carry out the programs it mandates. […] (Click here to read the rest of this story, and the rationale for how states can get out from under Obamacare.)

Pretty clever, isn’t it? There is little doubt this will pass here. Our governor, Nikki Haley, has been very outspoken about Obamacare, and other ways in which the Federal Government is wasting our money. I expect she will sign it as soon as it lands on her desk.

I hope the SC model will be come one for other states to get out from under this legal behemoth. Judging from the comments people are leaving at the article, I would say a whole lot of people support this bill. Heaven knows, we have to do SOMETHING to get out from under this partisan law and its numerous regulations before it bankrupts us.

And speaking of money, Obama is busy costing us about $500,000 a MINUTE with his “I Am Just As Great As Mandela” speech in South Africa today. Yes, that little trip is costing us $5 MILLION:

That’s not counting any cakes and coffee he and his inner circle consume aboard Air Force One during the 18,000-mile round trip to Johannesburg, via Dakar, in Senegal.

The 28-hour two-way flight to the memorial will cost $5 million because the four-engined Boeing 747 costs roughly $180,000 an hour to operate, according to a May 2012 report by the Congressional Research Service.[…] (Click here to read the rest and get all the pertinent numbers.)

Awesome. And he spent some time chatting with President Castro while he was at it. What a HUGE surprise – not…

Sheesh. Well, this is about all I can stomach for the moment, so I will leave this up to you for now. Once the York piece becomes available, I’ll put it up. Feel free to discuss the above, or anything else on your minds.

Amy thanks for the great article…I am just hoping that more states follow what SC has done…Oregon has run out of money so premiums will go up when everyone renews for the year..SO the cost many thought they had will be higher next year

Obamacare just like your worse Christmas nightmare…

Meanwhile I did want to respect what was happening in Africa, and Mandela but now I have totally lost it…
Don’t any of them realize all the work that GW has done for Aids in their country..

Kin, that is EXACTLY what my aunt said this morning – that nothing was being said abt all the work the Bushes have done in Africa abt AIDS. It is rude and appalling that they would boo him there. Like Obama has done anything that merits cheers, there OR here. But to BOO a US President who made the effort to be there to honor Mandela is offensive.

I have a Cuban American friend who DETESTS Mandela for his support of Castro (and other Communist leaders). I believe Mandela outgrew that misguided support, but yeah, it kind of flies in the face of all of the accolades he has received (and from me, too – what he did for South Africa was tremendous, no doubt abt it).

And thanks – I am very happy with SC right now, though I am sorry to hear abt what is happening in Oregon. Yikes!

Amy I was truly trying to be respectful of Mandela, even though I have many mixed feelings on him.
However this kind of disrespect for anyone at a funeral is just deplorable…GW has done so much work for the people of Africa and they do this.
Now what I see is a country full of ingrates who through their bad manners have now disrespected Mandala and left a permanent bad scar upon his funeral.

Cindy you are so right
Bush has been building cervical cancer screening clinics in Africa since his retirement from public office.” Laura & the girls have also been involved. And then there are his wounded vet events. Do you think the Obamas will be doing any such thing after he leaves office?
I will make a bet that the Obamas will only be looking for ways to lead a celebrity life style..

I admit, I had NO idea what was going on with the Bushes in terms of philanthropic endeavors while Bush was in office. I wouldn’t give him the time of day then, so a lot of this is news to me since 2008. Like all their work in Aghanistan, for example, abt which I learned after the fact. Anyway, glad the MSM is actually putting this info out there, “pesky” though it may be!

I just caught a pic of Barry and David Cameron and the Danish Prime Minister at the funeral. They were sitting side by side and took a selfie. That little buddy buddy handshake with Raul Castro was so typical of the way Obama treats crazy dictators and murdering tyrants. While people like us are having a hard time making ends meet….the grifters are off yet again spending taxpayer money like it is water. They really do think of themselves as royalty.

The selfie is making the rounds on the internet mostly because of the look on Michelle Obama’s face, as in “If Looks Could Kill.” Apparently the Danish woman is quite attractive. But aside from that amusing aspect to the picture taking, it makes you wonder if Obama has any sense of decorum. It doesn’t say much for Cameron either leaning in to make sure he’s in the photo too. This is at a memorial service, for Pete’s sake.

And to answer your question, rhetorical as it may be, NO, Obama has no sense of decorum whatsoever. Remember the first State visit from then-PM Brown? The Obamas literally got crap from the White House Gift Shop for their kids (helicopters), and a collection of dvds of old movies Brown couldn’t see because he was LOSING HIS SIGHT. Meanwhile, Brown and his wife got amazing gifts for the Obamas – first edition signed books, clothes made for the girls, and other gifts with historical value. Then there was the iPod loaded with his speeches Obama gave to the Queen. His behavior has gone downhill from there. WOW.

But to conduct oneself like this at a MEMORIAL no matter who one is just boggles the mind. Something seriously wrong with this man.

You’re so right…….And I just hope the main story isn’t about whether or not Michelle is jealous—The main story is that he is so sophomoric that he took a picture of himself, giggling, at a memorial service! It is so incredibly juvenile!

Thanks – it really is mind-boggling, isn’t it? I appreciate that they have a different sensibility there, one of celebrating Mandela’s life, but during the SERVICE, acting like an ADULT is the least Obama could have done, and I mean the VERY least…

This is what gets me about Obama!!! Obama hasn’t a clue about how to behave in various circumstances, even those that ordinary people face all the time…
Its like he grew up in junk yard in the middle of no where.

I posted the picture on FB but don’t know how to post it on here …
Obama has no manners does he..
Hey Obama managed to get in a lot of I’s, Me’s and My’s in his Obama’s tribute to a world statesman. Obama only said “I” seven times, “Me” five times, “My/Myself” 4 times….Not a bad Obama self tribute from the man who gives the best Obama back pats around..

Greta is absolutely spot on. It is so foolish to not invest in research. That is also the big problem with the medical device tax – it will curtail the amt of money that goes into R&D. So unbelievably short-sighted…